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Points to Ask Pharmacy Technician Schools
Once you have determined whether you would like to obtain a degree or a certificate, and if you prefer to enroll in an online college or go to classes on campus, you can start to narrow your school options. There are many pharmacist tech schools to choose from in the Wildomar CA area and throughout the Country, so you need to create a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast community colleges and technical schools. As we addressed in our introduction, you will most likely first start looking for colleges that are within both your financial budget and commuting distance from your Wildomar home. If you are able to move or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech college, then location may not be important. But there are a number of other factors that you must take into consideration so that you may properly compare schools. The following questions will help you in gathering that information and help you to make your final decision.
Is the Pharmacy Technician School Accredited? Many pharmacy tech colleges and vocational schools have earned a regional or national accreditation. Among the most respected accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Schools earning accreditation from the ASHP have been evaluated and certified to furnish a comprehensive quality education. Online programs may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals exclusively with distance or online learning. Be sure to confirm that the degree or certificate program together with the college you select are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with helping ensure that you obtain a superior education, it can assist in getting financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Also, certification might mandate that the program of training is accredited. And a number of Wildomar CA employers will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.
Does the College Ready You for Certification? Certification is not required in every state, but many pharmacies prefer that the technicians they employ be certified. The pharmacy tech program should prep its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB examination. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will also need one year of job experience. This qualification may be met by entering a college sponsored internship program.
Does the School Sponsor Internship Programs? As we just discussed, the NHA mandates one year of job experience for certification, which can be met with an internship program. One of the best ways to obtain hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy technician certificate or degree programs also require practical training in order to graduate and an internship is a great way to satisfy the requirement. Ask if the schools have associations with Wildomar CA area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.
Does the College Provide Job Placement Help? Finding that first position in Wildomar CA upon graduation, especially with no experience, can be a daunting task without any support. Ask if the colleges you are considering have job placement programs. If so, find out what their job placement rates are. A high job placement rate is an indicator that the college has a good reputation within the field generating appeal for its graduates. It also means that it has a sizable network of employer contacts where it can place graduating students.
Where is the Program Located? For many students, the school they pick will have to be within driving distance of their Wildomar CA residence. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.
What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the schools you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the pharmacist technician college you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Wildomar CA area, check that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.